High-tension line-switch.



E. A. MUCKEY.

HIGH TENSION LIINE SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1917.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

IN VEN TOR. 5a); [4, kixcfl ey WITNESS:

A TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT l -FFICE.

EARLE A. MUOKEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOEDWIN W. IBEARDSLEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HIGH-TENSION LINE-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application filed March 26, 1917. Serial No. 157,319.

To all whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in High-Tension Line- Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to high-tension electric line switches of the typeknown as poleswitches.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch, of simple and strongconstruction, which may be inserted in a high-tension aerial line forthe purpose of opening or breaking the circuit. Switches of this typeare usually mounted upon poles or towers, or the cross-arms thereof, andare operated by means of a handle or rod extending downward to aconvenient position. By the present invention, I have provided a switchof this type which may be inserted in the line without any additionalstrain insulators, and without otherwise supporting the line than by theswitch itself. This is accomplished by constructing the switch so thatthe axis of the movable member thereof is in alinement with the linewire, thus permitting the switch to be entirely selfcontained asregards. end strains due to the pull of the wire.

Further advantages of my switch are the provision for a double break, sothat the movement of the movable member need be only half that of asingle break switch; provision for fusing the line in combination withthe switch; and adaptability to lines of any number of wires orarrangement, by providing a complete self-contained switch unit for eachline wire, and connecting all together for simultaneous operation.Moreover, the insulating members of my switch are standard articles ofline construction, are interchangeable, and are readily removable forreplacement.

The invention will hereinafter be described, and is herewithillustrated, in its preferred form, but it is to be understood thatchanges, within the scope of the claims hereto appended, may be made inthe form and construction of the device without departing from thespirit of the invention.

With this in View, the invention will now be fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure l is an andelevation showing my switches as applied to a three-phase line.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, enlarged, of one of my switch units.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates any suitablesupport, as for example the crossarm of a pole or tower 1. Upon saidcross-arm I mount a base plate 2, which has a bearing cap 3 removablysecured to its upper side. Said base plate and cap form a support for arotatable rod or shaft 4, preferably hollow for the sake of lightness,and provided with thrust collars 5 to prevent lineal movement withrespect to said base.

Into the ends of the hollow shaft 4 are secured, as by means of rivetsor pins 6, short projecting shafts 7, whose outer ends are secured, inany well known manner, to bell strain insulators 8 of any suitable andwell known form. In the switch herewith illustrated, I have shown two ofsuch bell insulators 8 at each end of the shaft, but it is to beunderstood that any number thereof may be used, depending mainly on thevoltage of the line.

The two ends 9 of the line wire in which the switch is to be insertedare fastened to the outer faces of the bell insulators 8, preferably bybeing tied to transversely dis ports an inclined post insulator 11, ofany' well known form. Secured to the top of said insulator, as by meansof clips 12, is a fuse stick 13, set parallel with the shaft 4. Thisfuse stick preferably comprises a hollow bar of wood or other insulatingmaterial, through which is run a fusible conductor 14. At the ends ofsaid fuse stick are mounted contact clips 15, with which the ends of thefuse 14 are connected. Said clips are properly positioned to receivecontact blades 16 carried by the ends of the arms 10, so that electricalconnection is normally established between the two ends of the line wire9 by means of said arms 10, the contact members 16 and 15, and the fuse14.

When it is desired to open the switch, the shaft 4, carrying the straininsulators 8 and the armslO, is rotated to move the blades 16 out ofcontact with the clips 15, as shown in the drawings. For this purpose, alever 17 is secured to said shaft 4:- Where two or more switches are tobe operated simultaneously, the levers 17 are all connected together bya bar 18, as shown inFig. l, and a second lever 19 is preferably fixedupon the switch shaft nearest the pole 1', from which lever arcd 20 isextended downward to a position for convenient operation.

The advantages of my switch will at once be apparent to those skilled inthe art. The fact that the strains due to the lineal pull of the linewire 9 are entirely balanced, and that said wire is entirely supportedby the switch itself. without in any manner interfering with itsoperation, constitutes an important feature of the invention. Moreover,each switch is entirely self-contained, so that said switches may beused singly or in groups without any change in constructtion, and anyone switch of a group may be repaired or replaced without disturbing theothers.

The conductor 14, which has been described in its preferred form as afuse, may, of course, be made of non-fusible material, or may be made ofsufficient capacity to have no function as a fuse, if no fuse bedesired. In this case the fuse stick 13 may be replaced by a solidconductor bar, such form being an obvious modification of the invention,and not shown in the drawings.

Finally, the use of standard articles of manufacture for the insulators8 and 11 greatly simplifies the construction and repair of the device.

I claim:

1. A high-tension line switch comprising a shaft; a bearing in whichsaid shaft is rotatably mounted; limiting collars on the shaft at eachend of the bearing; an insulator disk on each end of the shaft; aconducting arm secured diametrically to the outer face of each disk,providing for the attachment to the arm, in line with the axis of theshaft, of the ends of the line wire in which the switch is interposed,said arms projecting radially from the disks; a fixed conductorsup-ported parallel with and insulated from the shaft; contact clipscarried by each end of the conductor; a contact blade carried by thefree end of each disk arm, adapted to make'and break electricalconnection with the contact clips, by the rocking of the shaft on itsaxis; and means for rocking said shaft.

2. A high-tension line switch comprising a shaft; a bearing in whichsaid shaft is rotatably mounted; limiting collars on the shaft at eachend of the bearing; an insulator disk on each end of the shaft; aconducting arm secured diametrically to the outer face of each disk,providing for the attachment to the arm, in line with the axis of theshaft, of the ends of the line wire in which the switch is interposed,said arms projecting radially from the disks," a fixed hollow fuse sticksupported parallel with the shaft; a fusible conductor passing throughsaid stick; contact clips carried by each end of the fusible conductor;a contact blade carried by the free end of each disk arm, adapted tomake and break electrical connection with the contact clips, by therocking of the shaft on its axis; and means for rocking said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EARLE A. MUGKEY.

W'itnesses:

WM. F. BOOTH, D. B. RICHARDS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe tomniisstoncr of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

